It’s obvious to any observer that the United States needs urgent social, political and judicial reform at many different levels. We as a society must listen to the protesters, debate solutions to these underlying problems and demand that our leaders enact them.

As an Australian with ancestors in the Netherlands and British Isles, my family, my friends and I are firmly rooted in a cultural entity commonly known as “the west.” This definition generally refers to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States and countries in western Europe. While not all my friends and family are entirely… Continue reading The United States Is Not A Western Country. Here’s Why.→

Madison Park Beach, 11 a.m., Last Friday It’s the first properly warm day of the year in Seattle and, at Madison Park Beach, housewives who have been cooped up inside with small children for eight months or more are relishing the chance to soak in the sun. Their children are shrieking and roaming — though… Continue reading A Postcard From Coronavirus-Stricken Seattle→

Recently, I had a spooky experience. H and I were enjoying some spring sunshine on a beach in the Pacific Northwest and building an intricate sandcastle complex, complete with a working moat and a Mayan-style pyramid. At one point we got up to find the twigs, stones, shells and seaweed that would adorn the construction,… Continue reading Consider the Crow→

One aspect of normal life that I didn’t expect to miss was live music, so here we go on a tour of some favourite venues and memories from the last couple of years. Also: Your local musicians and artists are struggling right now — if you live in the Pacific Northwest you can support local… Continue reading A Memory Tour Through Seattle’s Live Music Scene→

Hi all, I hope you’re doing well during a period that many news organisations insist on referring to as “these uncertain times.” I know a lot of us are struggling right now with medical problems, lost work, unemployment benefits bureaucracies, anxiety about family and friends we can’t physically hang out with any more and all… Continue reading Reasons for Hope Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic→